The 2008 Illinois Honor Roll includes 989 schools that are being recognized for their continued academic progress. The honor roll is divided into three categories – Spotlight Schools; Academic Excellence and Academic Improvement. Each award has unique criteria that best reflect the diverse circumstances of Illinois schools.

Spotlight Schools – Recognizes 499 high-poverty, high-performing schools in 2008 that are beating the odds to overcome the achievement gap. At least 50 percent of students in these schools are from low-income families and at least 62.5 percent of students met or exceeded standards in both reading and mathematics.

Academic Improvement Awards – Notes 153 schools that are showing substantial gains over three years.

Academic Excellence Awards – Honors 388 schools that have maintained high performance over at least three years.

The schools honored:

Quincy School District 172

Adams Elementary (Spotlight)

Baldwin Intermediate School (Spotlight)

Berrian School (Spotlight)

Dewey Elementary (Spotlight)

Irving Elementary (Spotlight)

Washington Elementary (Spotlight)

Griggsville-Perry Community Unit School District 4

Griggsville-Perry Primary (Spotlight)

The 2008 honor roll roster includes elementary, middle and high schools, including charter schools, and represents 345 school districts statewide. Suburban schools represent 43 percent of the Honor Roll schools, downstate schools account for another 40 percent and Chicago schools make up the final 17 percent this year. The 989 schools earned a total of 1,040 awards in the three categories.

Developed by Northern Illinois University and ISBE in 2003-4, the Illinois Honor Roll is created each year at NIU. A complete listing of the 2008 Illinois Honor Roll Schools can be found online at http://www.ilhonorroll.niu.edu/